Refugee Field Assistant (Cash Based Intervention)

Contract

This is a UNV Refugee contract. More about UNV Refugee contracts.

The Office of the UNHCR was established on 14 December 1950 by the UN General Assembly. The agency is mandated to lead and co-ordinate international action to protect refugees and resolve refugee problems worldwide. Its primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees. It strives to ensure that everyone can exercise the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge in another State, with the option to return home voluntarily, integrate locally or to resettle in a third country (www.unhcr.org).

This UNV assignment is part of UNHCR’s Protection activities within the context of Regional Refugee Response Plan for Ukraine situation. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is a global organization working to save lives, protect rights and build a better future for refugees, internally displaced communities, and stateless people. UNHCR works to ensure that everybody has the right to seek asylum and find refuge from violence or persecution.

Slovakia’s status as both a transit and a destination country requires an approach that is focused on immediate service provision for those on the move and first arriving in Slovakia, and second area of supporting the medium and longer term stay for those fleeing Ukraine. These require the timely delivery of accurate, verified and relevant information on legal status, services available and how to receive urgent protection and assistance. Refugees also need information on how to stay safe and avoid the many risks they are encountering, such as trafficking an GBV, and access to health and education. For those staying in Slovakia, they will need easy access to information on services in the locations where they are and support on integration into Slovak communities, for instance school enrolment. Community engagement and community-based and led approaches to facilitate this will be essential to reach individuals of diverse ages, genders and backgrounds in the appropriate formats that they prefer. Supporting initiatives directly led by refugees and Slovak communities will be a key part of this strategy to further promote self-reliance and ensure active roles for communities in the response. Engagement of Slovak communities is also essential to promote social cohesion.

This UNV assignment is subject to proof of vaccination against Covid-19 with WHO approved vaccine in accordance with UNHCR’s Administrative Instruction on Covid-19 Vaccination and related Safety Measures.

Application to this assignment is exclusively open to individuals residing in Slovakia, with stateless, refugee or similar protective status, including Temporary Protection.

Official document as a proof of refugee status is mandatory to submit. The applicant with abovementioned refugee status should submit the official document as a proof of refugee status before and/or during the interview. The applications without the respective document will not be considered for this assignment.

Within the delegated authority and under the supervision of Protection Officer or their designated mandated representative(s), the UNV Refugee Field Assistant (Cash Based Intervention) will:

• Assist UNHCR in developing a strategy to link with the identified groups to share up to date information and encourage communication by refugees with humanitarian agencies. • Establish partnerships or good working relationships with key Ukrainian and Slovak actors working on community engagement especially in social protection and inclusion. • Assist with creating content to share through UNHCR’s communication channels in collaboration with UNHCR teams to share information on available services and their providers, on the rights and duties of refugees and asylum-seekers in Slovakia. • Assist with the Complaint and Referral Feedback Mechanism with the CBI Mailbox, by reviewing and replying to the inquiries received from the community via e-mail or by directly contacting the people to inform them. • Participate in Focus Group Discussions with CBI/Community Based Protection CBP and the community. • Participate in CBI information sessions for Cash, with the community.
• Listen to community members and stay up to date with information sharing and discussion channels to identify risks to refugees and Slovak communities or potential misunderstanding and misinformation that UNHCR can help clarify. • Contribute to the planning, monitoring, and evaluation of UNHCR’s engagement with refugees and Slovak communities through different approaches, including online and offline, and make recommendations to UNHCR teams on how to improve. • Regularly update and share information related to ongoing work in community engagement, utilizing agreed data collection methods to identify gaps, assess trends and developments. • Support two-way communication mechanism using community-based approaches between UNHCR and persons of concern (Ukrainian refugees) by passing on useful information to the different refugee communities while promoting and supporting community engagement, inclusion in education and other essential services, and resilience and active participation of refugees in the Slovak social, economic and cultural life. • Promote and support community mobilization for organizing social, cultural and recreational events among refugee and host communities. • Assist UNHCR in organizing participatory activities for the cash component and awareness-raising sessions with persons of different age groups, gender and background. • Assist in exploring opportunities for mainstreaming persons of concern into available national services and contribute to developing communication strategies with persons of concern to access such services. • In coordination with the supervisor, assist in monitoring visits to Community Based Organizations/Refugee-led NGOs/Initiatives and other partners to oversee Programme implementation and provide inputs for further planning. • Contribute to the planning, monitoring and evaluation of any further community outreach activities for CBI. • Contribute age, gender and diversity mainstreaming in all of UNHCR Slovakia activities. • Any other related tasks as may be required or assigned by the supervisor.

Furthermore, UN Volunteers are encouraged to integrate the UN Volunteers programme mandate within their assignment and promote voluntary action through engagement with communities in the course of their work. As such, UN Volunteers should dedicate a part of their working time to some of the following suggested activities: • Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark International Volunteer Day). • Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country. • Provide annual and end of assignment self-reports on UN Volunteer actions, results and opportunities.
• Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc. • Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly arrived UN Volunteers. • Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.

Results/expected outputs: • As an active UNHCR team member, efficient, timely, responsive, client-friendly and high-quality support rendered to UNHCR and its beneficiaries in the accomplishment of her/his functions, including: • Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) perspective is systematically applied, integrated and documented in all activities throughout the assignment. • A final statement of achievements towards volunteerism for peace and development during the assignment, such as reporting on the number of volunteers mobilized, activities participated in and capacities developed.

• Professionalism • Integrity • Teamwork and respect for diversity • Commitment to continuous learning • Planning and organizing • Communication • Flexibility • Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement, which includes solidarity, compassion, reciprocity and self-reliance; and commitment towards UNHCR’s mission and vision, as well as to the UN Core Values.

the national and/or international level in areas related to displacement, social work or public information, or other relevant Programmes; experience with integration or community engagement / communication with communities or social psychology is an asset, as is experience working in the UN or other international development organization. • Other desired/mandatory required technical knowledge: working knowledge of means of communication. • Excellent oral and written skills; excellent drafting, formulation, reporting skills. • Accuracy and professionalism in document production and editing. • Excellent interpersonal skills; culturally and socially sensitive; ability to work inclusively and collaboratively with a range of partners, including grassroots community members, religious and youth organizations, and authorities at different levels; familiarity with tools and approaches of communications for development. • Ability to work and adapt professionally and effectively in a challenging environment; ability to work effectively in a multicultural team of international and national personnel. • Solid overall computer literacy, including proficiency in various MS Office applications (Excel, Word, etc.) and email/internet; familiarity with database management; and office technology equipment. • Self-motivated, ability to work with minimum supervision; ability to work with tight deadlines. • Sound security awareness. • Have affinity with or interest in humanitarian work, volunteerism as a mechanism for durable development, and the UN System. • Completed Secondary education is a must. • Bachelor’s degree in a relevant area, e.g. Public Information, Communication or areas related to Social Work or Education, is an asset.

Slovakia is a developed country with an advanced high-income economy. It also performs favourably in measurements of civil liberties, press freedom, internet freedom, democratic governance, and peacefulness. The country maintains a combination of a market economy with a comprehensive social security system, providing citizens with universal health care, free education, and one of the longest paid parental leaves in the OECD. Slovakia became an independent state on 1 January 1993 after the peaceful dissolution of Czechoslovakia. It has, nevertheless, remained a close partner with the Czech Republic. Both countries co-operate with Hungary and Poland in the Visegrád Group. In 2019, Zuzana Čaputová became Slovakia's first female president. The country has the beautiful Tatra Mountains, the Danube River and many historical places, including eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Bratislava offers good living conditions with a wide range of hotels, Airbnb and apartments and flats. Accommodation can be sourced using the services of property agencies, as well as through various online websites. International schools are available. Health care is relatively good, but there is a shortage of professionals in many occupations, including doctors and medical staff, making access to health care somewhat challenging.

No specific security conditions pertain to Slovakia. Bratislava is a safe metropolitan city, however, as in any other city, caution shall be exercised when using public transport to avoid pickpocketing. Political protests can happen at short notice and may turn violent. Large gatherings must be avoided.

As this is a Refugee UN Volunteer assignment, the UN Volunteer will be responsible for arranging his/her own housing and other living essentials.

UN Volunteer entitlements and allowances: The purpose of the allowances and entitlements paid to UN Volunteers is to enable UN Volunteers to sustain a secure standard of living at the duty stations in line with United Nations standards without incurring personal costs. The allowances are in no way to be understood as compensation, reward, or salary in exchange for the UN Volunteer’s service. Contingent on specific eligibility criteria, location of the volunteer assignment and contractual type and category, the payment of allowances will begin from the date of Commencement of Service For more information on entitlements please read the Condition of Service (https://explore.unv.org/cos). For information specific to your assignment please see below:

Monthly Living Allowance (Per month): EUR 1099 Well-Being Differential %30: EUR 329.73 Entry lump sum (one time payment): USD 400 Travel Ticket when moving to duty station: USD 200 Exit allowance (for each month served, paid on completion of contract): EUR 91,59 Medical and life insurance: Cigna Private Insurance

Leave entitlements: Annual leave: 2.5 days accrued per calendar month Certified sick leave: 30 days Uncertified sick leave: 7 days Learning leave: 10 working days per consecutive 12 months Maternity Leave: 16 weeks Paternity Leave: 10 days